Life Aboard a Slave Ship | History

Summary

Between 1525 and 1866, over 12 million Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic in the Middle Passage, with 2 million dying en route. European merchants built ships with extra compartments for more enslaved people, lacking basic sanitation and leading to rampant disease. Enslaved individuals faced brutal conditions, torture, and sexual abuse. The Zong case in 1783 exposed the horrors of this journey, which eventually contributed to the outlawing of the international slave trade and the abolition of slavery in Britain and the US.

Takeaways

• 🚢 From 1525 to 1866, over 12 million Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic, with approximately 2 million not surviving the journey.
• 🛳️ European merchants built specialized ships for the slave trade, equipped with extra portholes, weapons, and compartments for more enslaved people.
• 👥 Enslaved individuals were stripped of their belongings and dignity, with their heads shaved before boarding the ships.
• 🏠 During boarding, enslaved people lived in temporary wooden structures on the ship deck, with netting to prevent suicide.
• 🚫 Below deck, conditions were cramped and unsanitary, with low ceilings and no facilities, leading to rampant disease.
• 🔗 Enslaved people were segregated by gender and age, with men shackled and women often left unshackled but vulnerable to abuse.
• ⏱️ They spent about eight hours a day above deck, still separated and under the watch of a reinforced barricade.
• 🤸‍♂️ Forced exercise, including dance and song, was part of the regimen, sometimes for the crew's entertainment.
• 🔪 Punishments for disobedience were brutal, with whippings using the cat o' nine tails being a common form of torture.
• 🤰 Women, despite being less restrained, faced sexual abuse, and some arrived in the New World pregnant with their attackers' children.
• ⚖️ The Zong case of 1783 exposed the atrocities of the Middle Passage, where 130 enslaved people were thrown overboard to claim insurance.
• 📜 It took decades after the Zong trial for the slave trade to be outlawed and even longer for slavery itself to be abolished in Britain and the US.

Q & A

How many Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic from 1525 to 1866?

Approximately 12 and 1/2 million Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic during this period.

What was the survival rate of Africans during the Middle Passage?

Approximately 2 million Africans did not survive the journey, indicating a survival rate of roughly 83.3%.

What features were added to the ships to accommodate the transport of enslaved people?

Ships had extra portholes for ventilation, mounted weapons on deck, and additional compartments below deck to increase the number of enslaved people that could be transported.

What was the boarding process like for the enslaved people at African port cities?

Enslaved people were stripped of their clothing and possessions, and their heads were forcibly shaved before boarding the ships.

How were the living conditions on the ships during the Middle Passage?

The living conditions were extremely poor, with low ceilings, no sanitary facilities, and inadequate ventilation, leading to rampant disease and a hellish environment.

How were the enslaved people treated on the ship in terms of exercise and entertainment?

Enslaved people were subject to forced exercise, sometimes including dance and song, for the entertainment of the crew.

What was the purpose of the barricado on the ship?

The barricado was a reinforced wall used to separate the enslaved people by gender and to protect crew members in case of a revolt.

What was the fate of the enslaved people who were disobedient or refused to eat?

Disobedient enslaved people were tortured and beaten, often with a cat o' nine tails. Those who refused to eat were forced to do so with a speculum oris.

What role did women play in the rebellions on the slave ships?

Despite being raped and sexually abused, women often coordinated mutinies against their captors, although these rebellions were rarely successful.

What was the significance of the 1783 court trial over the slave ship Zong?

The Zong trial exposed the horrors of the Middle Passage and the inhumane treatment of enslaved people. It also highlighted the financial calculations behind the deaths of enslaved individuals.

How long did it take after the Zong trial for the international slave trade to be outlawed in Great Britain and the United States?

The international slave trade was outlawed 24 years after the Zong trial in both Great Britain and the United States.

What was the timeline for the official abolition of slavery in England and the United States after the international slave trade was outlawed?

It took England an additional 26 years and the US another 58 years plus a civil war to officially abolish the practice of slavery.

Outlines

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🚢 The Horrors of the Middle Passage

Between 1525 and 1866, over 12 million Africans were forcibly taken from their homeland and transported across the Atlantic, a journey from which approximately 2 million did not survive. European merchants built specialized ships with extra portholes, weapons, and compartments to maximize the number of enslaved people carried. Enslaved individuals were stripped of their belongings, shaved, and forced to live in cramped, unsanitary conditions below deck, segregated by gender and age. Diseases like dysentery, malaria, and smallpox were rampant, and those who disobeyed faced brutal torture. Women, despite being less restrained, were subjected to sexual abuse. The Zong case in 1783 highlighted the atrocities when the captain ordered 130 enslaved people thrown overboard to claim insurance. This event, along with the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 and slavery itself in later years, marked a dark period in history.

Keywords

💡Middle Passage

The Middle Passage refers to the segment of the triangular trade route in which enslaved Africans were transported by European traders to the Americas. It was a horrific journey marked by inhumane conditions and high mortality rates. The video script describes how millions of Africans were forcibly taken from their homeland and packed into ships under deplorable conditions, with many not surviving the voyage. The term is central to understanding the transatlantic slave trade and the suffering it inflicted.

💡Enslaved people

Enslaved people were individuals who were captured and forced into servitude, often across great distances from their original homes. The script details the brutal treatment of these individuals during the Middle Passage, including being stripped of their clothing and possessions, and subjected to overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. This term is pivotal for understanding the human cost of the transatlantic slave trade.

💡Ventilation

Ventilation in the context of the script refers to the air circulation within the ships that transported enslaved people. The ships had extra portholes for ventilation, which was a necessity given the large number of people confined in small spaces. However, despite these efforts, the conditions below deck were still suffocating and contributed to the spread of disease, as mentioned in the script.

💡Rebellion

Rebellion, as used in the script, refers to the acts of resistance by enslaved people against their captors during the Middle Passage. Despite the overwhelming odds and harsh punishments, some enslaved individuals attempted to rebel, as illustrated by the script's mention of mutinies organized by women. These rebellions, though rarely successful, highlight the resilience and fight for freedom among the enslaved.

💡Cat o' nine tails

The cat o' nine tails is a multi-thonged whip historically used as a disciplinary tool, often in naval settings. The script describes it as a particularly cruel instrument designed to inflict maximum pain, used to punish disobedient enslaved captives. This term exemplifies the brutal methods of control and punishment aboard slave ships.

💡Speculum oris

A speculum oris is a medieval tool used to force open a person's mouth. The script mentions its use to force-feed enslaved people who refused to eat their meager rations of rice and beans. This term is indicative of the extreme measures taken to maintain control and enforce compliance during the Middle Passage.

💡Zong

The Zong was a slave ship on which a notorious incident occurred in 1781, as recounted in the script. The ship's captain ordered approximately 130 enslaved people to be thrown overboard to prevent the spread of disease and to claim insurance for them as if they had drowned, which was covered by the ship's insurance policy. The subsequent court trial brought the horrors of the Middle Passage to public attention and became a rallying point for abolitionists.

💡Abolitionists

Abolitionists were individuals who advocated for the end of slavery. The script mentions British abolitionists who republished the story of the Zong to highlight the atrocities of the slave trade. Their efforts were part of a broader movement that eventually led to the outlawing of the international slave trade and the abolition of slavery itself.

💡Sanitary facilities

Sanitary facilities in the context of the script refer to the lack of proper waste disposal and hygiene measures aboard the slave ships. The absence of such facilities, as noted in the script, led to unsanitary conditions that exacerbated the spread of disease among the enslaved and the crew, contributing to the high mortality rates during the Middle Passage.

💡Segregation

Segregation, as mentioned in the script, was the practice of separating enslaved people by gender and age aboard the ships. Adult men were kept shackled in pairs, women were usually left in their designated compartments, and children were often allowed to move more freely. This term is significant for understanding the different ways in which enslaved individuals were controlled and the social dynamics that were imposed upon them during the journey.

💡Disease

Disease was rampant aboard slave ships due to the unsanitary conditions and overcrowding. The script lists dysentery, malaria, yellow fever, smallpox, measles, and influenza as some of the diseases that afflicted both the enslaved and the crew. The high incidence of disease was a significant factor contributing to the high mortality rates during the Middle Passage.

Highlights

Between 1525 and 1866, over 12.5 million Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic.

Approximately 2 million Africans did not survive the journey.

European merchants built vessels to transport hundreds of enslaved people per journey.

Ships had extra portholes, weapons, and additional compartments for more human cargo.

Enslaved people were stripped of clothing and possessions before boarding.

During boarding, enslaved people lived in temporary wooden houses on the deck.

Netting was installed around the deck to catch those who might jump overboard.

Below deck, enslaved people were packed into compartments with low ceilings.

Adult men were shackled in pairs, while women and children had more freedom.

There were no sanitary facilities, leading to hellish conditions and rampant disease.

Enslaved people spent about eight hours a day above deck, still separated by gender.

Forced exercise, including dance and song, was sometimes required for crew entertainment.

Disobedient captives were tortured and beaten with the cat o' nine tails.

Enslaved people who refused food were forced to eat with a speculum oris.

Women were often raped and sexually abused by crew members.

Women coordinated mutinies against captors, though they were rarely successful.

The Zong court trial in 1783 exposed the horrors of the Middle Passage.

Captain Collingwood ordered 130 enslaved people thrown overboard to claim insurance.

The court agreed with the ship's owners, highlighting the dehumanization of enslaved people.

The Zong's story was republished by British abolitionists to raise awareness.

It took over 50 years after the Zong trial for the slave trade to be outlawed in the UK and the US.

Slavery was officially abolished in the UK after 26 years and in the US after 58 years plus a civil war.

Transcripts

NARRATOR: From about 1525 to 1866,

12 and 1/2 million Africans were taken from their homeland

and forcibly transported across the Atlantic, a journey

that approximately 2 million of them would not survive.

By the turn of the 18th century, European merchants

were building vessels capable of transporting hundreds

of enslaved people per journey.

These ships had extra portholes for ventilation,

weapons mounted on deck in case of rebellion,

and additional compartments added below deck

to take on more human cargo.

Before boarding the ships at African port cities,

enslaved people were stripped of their clothing

and remaining possessions, and had

their heads forcibly shaved.

During boarding, which could take weeks or even months,

enslaved people lived on the deck of the ship

in a temporary wooden house constructed by the crew.

The crew also installed netting around

the deck of the ship, designed to catch

those enslaved who might opt for death over forced servitude.

Once moved below deck, enslaved people

would find themselves stuffed into compartments with ceilings

as low as four and a half feet, where they would

spend most of their voyage.

They were segregated by gender and age.

Adult men were kept separately and shackled in pairs,

women usually left unchanged in their designated compartment,

and children often free to move about the ship.

There were no sanitary facilities of any kind.

Enslaved people were forced to relieve themselves where they

sat, creating hellish conditions when

combined with the heat and lack of ventilation below deck.

Disease was rampant.

Dysentery, malaria, yellow fever, smallpox,

measles, and influenza ravaged the enslaved and crew members

alike.

The enslaved people generally spent about eight hours a day

above deck, but were still separated by gender

with a barricado, a reinforced wall that could be used

to protect crew members in case of a revolt.

Enslaved people were also subject to forced exercise,

which sometimes included dance and song for the entertainment

of the crew.

Enslaved captives deemed disobedient were tortured

and beaten, usually whipped with the especially cruel cat o'

nine tails, a tool designed to inflict maximum pain.

Enslaved people who refused to eat their typical meal of rice

and beans were forced to do so, sometimes

with a speculum oris, a medieval tool used

to force open a person's mouth.

Women, while usually left unshackled,

were raped and sexually abused by members of the crew,

sometimes arriving in the new world carrying the children

of their attackers.

But it was the women, using their miniscule freedoms,

who would often coordinate mutinies against their captors.

But these rebellions were rarely successful.

The true extent of the horrors of the Middle Passage

came to light in a 1783 court trial over the slave ship Zong.

The Zong left present day Ghana in August of 1781

with 442 enslaved onboard.

After a two-month journey, riddled with navigation errors,

62 enslaved people and seven crew members

had perished without reaching their destination.

Disease was spreading throughout the ship,

and fresh water was running dangerously low.

Captain Luke Collingwood was afraid of the financial cost

of more deaths.

Enslaved people that died of disease

were not covered by the ship's insurance,

but the enslaved who drowned were.

Collingwood ordered approximately 130 enslaved

people thrown overboard.

He claimed it was necessary to do so

to halt the spread of disease.

At the trial between the Zong's owners

and their insurance company, the owners

argued that because it was legal to kill sick animals

for the health of a ship, it was legal to treat

enslaved people the same.

The court agreed with the ship's owners,

but the trial itself exposed the horrors aboard the Zong,

and its story was republished by British abolitionists

with the name of the ship redacted, meant

to show that this tragedy could happen on any ship

transporting enslaved people across the Middle Passage.

24 years after the Zong trial, the International Slave

Trade was outlawed in both Great Britain and the United States.

It would take England an additional 26 years,

and the US another 58 years plus a civil war

before the practice of slavery was officially abolished.